Louisa M.
Yelp
I'm a coffee snob, so wherever I travel around the world, I always seem to make my own "espresso tour." Long before the pandemic, I had the pleasure of visiting San Juan, Puerto Rico, where I immediately looked up third wave coffee. Finca Cialitos topped the list, so I took a walk to check it out.
The cafe was super quiet on a weekday morning, and we were the only customers around. That always is a concern, especially since many of the other coffee bars we found were extremely busy. No matter, we figured it just meant we'd get extra special service, so we went inside to rest our feet and enjoy a couple of cappuccinos. I'm so glad we did!
The coffee here is excellent. It's from a local roaster, so you can feel good about supporting small business owners as well as enjoy a bit of home-grown culture. (Side note: if you go to a big chain coffee house while traveling, you don't really love coffee)! The origin of the beans was clearly posted, and the employees seemed well-versed and could answer all of my coffee nerd questions.
The barista felt a little aloof but was still friendly, and our cappuccinos were ready very quickly. I loved the smell of freshly ground coffee, and the latte art on our beverages was beautiful. I always travel with my own Splenda, but I had to sneak a little spoonful of the raw sugar that was on our table!
The space is small, but there are some comfy places to hang out while you drink. We felt very welcome and appreciated, and the espresso was very good. Five stars because this is the exact type of establishment I love to visit: great product, super authentic, and feels local. Add this to your personal coffee tour of San Juan.